COMMUNITY leaders today called for extra security at a site waiting for demolition after claiming teenage arsonists were putting people's lives at risk.

The former Ribble Valley Council buildings in Kirkmoor Road, Clitheroe, are being used as dens, according to the watch manager at Clitheroe fire station, Ronnie Eatough.

He said it is only a matter of time before someone is hurt after being called to two fires in four hours at the site, recently sold to a housing association.

Lib Dem councillor Beverley Jones said that someone should have taken responsibility for the buildings, which are currently used to store old council stock.

Mr Eatough warned that highly flammable paint stored inside is causing a danger while fences, which have been broken down, are not repaired.

Crews worked for up to an hour on each call on Sunday to control the flames and near-by houses were temporarily evacuated as a precaution.

Heat and smoke damaged both of the buildings and some of the contents of both buildings were destroyed.

Mr Eatough said: "The buildings are too easy to get into. At this time of year youths will use somewhere like this to keep warm. They are lighting bonfires. But these places could go up in minutes before they have time to get out. They are risking their own lives and ours."

Coun Jones said: "These buildings should not have been allowed to get in such a state that youngsters can get in. This must not happen again."

Ribble Valley Council recently sold the Kirkmoor Depot site to St Vincent's Housing Association.

The association plans to demolish the existing structures to build five family homes, two bungalows, one special needs bungalow and 14 apartments.

Yvonne McDermott, development manager said: "We only finalised the site late last week and it is now a top priority to secure it. We were called out on Sunday to secure the site as best we could. But they got back in. We will be at the site now until work begins over the next few weeks putting more heavy duty fencing around the site."

Duty Insp Steve Haworth said: "These are not games they are playing and we taking this matter very seriously. This is causing us some concern. Lives are at stake if this continues. We will be doing door-to-door inquires to get to the bottom of it."

The council's director of community services, John Heap, said: "While the site was in transition, the council worked hard to ensure it was secure."

Anyone who has any information on the incidents on Sunday should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.